Shoe fitting appliance



Feb. 4, 1964 J. s. LUDWIG SHOE FITTING APPLIANCE Filed NOV. 2, 1960 I 44 ,l I1/11111111111111111111IA FIG.6.

INVENTOR. JOHN s. LUDWIG. 'o Ewa/d@ ff ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 4, 1964 3,1%,95'7 SHUE FTIHNG APELIANCE .Fehn S. Ludwig, 3111i) Earl Road, Cincinnati 39, Ohio Filed Nov. Z, 196i), Ser. No. 66,824 14 Claims. (Ci. ST1-3) This invention relates to devices for fitting shoes. More particularly this invention relates to a gauge for measuring the interior of a shoe.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial Number 852,020, filed November 10, 1959, now abandoned.

In the fitting of shoes, particularly the iitting of shoes on the feet of a child, it is essential that the shoe provide suicient space for the toes of the child. In the past, it has been common to observe the shod feet of a child with X-ray equipment, to determine if the iit is satisfactory. However, such X-ray examination may be dangerous. An object of this invention is to provide a device which permits safe comparison of the inside dimensions of a shoe with a childs foot without need for X- ray devices or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device which can be inserted inside a shoe to determine the length thereof, which device can be compared directly with a childs foot to show how much space is provided for the toes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this type which can be placed inside a shoe, extended to the internal length of the shoe, set at such length, and then removed for comparison with the childs foot.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the above character, which may be compared with the prospective shoe-wearers foot when the foot is not bearing any weight and also when it is bearing weight.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this type having indicia thereon to determine the position of the ball portion of the foot with reference to the shoe.

T he above and other objects and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, from the following description, and the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a shoe gauge constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the gauge being; shown in partially extended condition;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the shoe gauge in partially extended condition;

PEG. 3 is a view in lengthwise section of the shoe gauge in contracted position;

FIG. 4 is a view in lengthwise section of the shoe gauge in partially extended condition, the gauge being shown inside a shoe, the shoe being partly broken away and in section to reveal the shoe gauge;

FIG. 5 is a View in section taken on the line 5 5 in FIG. 4, the thumb screw being shown in released position;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken on the line 6 6 in FiG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 7 7 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken on the line 8 8 in FIG. 5.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown a shoe gauge constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The gauge includes telescopically connected sections 10 and 12. The telescopic section 11i is an elongated block having an elongated slot 13 (FIG. 1) therein. An upright heel riser 14 is provided at one end thereof. The heel riser 14 has a tongue or root portion 16, which extends into aperture 4t) in section 10, to which it is hinged by pivot or anchor pin 25. As shown, anchor pin 25 may be of the resiliently expanding type which interlocks within the aligned receiving bores provided therefor in telescoping section 10. Heel riser 14, including its root p0rtion 16, as well as aperture 4@ are so shaped as to allow heel riser 14 to swing into adjacent parallel relation to the slotted portion of section 1t) and to establish the opposite limit of its swing as the erect position, substantially perpendicular to the section 16. Indicia 15 indicating shoe sizes is located on section 1li. A handle tab portion 141 is provided at the upper end of the heel riser 14, to facilitate withdrawal of the shoe gauge from a shoe.

The telescopic section 12 includes upper and lower portions 17 and 18 (FIGS. 5 and 6), which are of generally channel shape. Flanges of the lower portion 18 lit inside anges of the upper portion 17 to define an enclosed space or hollow thereinside. A return bend portion 19 (FIG. 4) of the upper portion 1'7 extends beneath and engages a tongue 21 on the lower portion 18 to hold the right-hand ends of the portions 17 and 18, as shown in the drawing, in assembled relation. At the left-hand end of the lower portion 13 is mounted an upstanding lug 22 having an upright threaded bore 23 therein. A thumb-screw 24 is mounted in the bore 23. As indicated most clearly in FIG. 5, the lug 22 has upwardly converging side faces 26 and 27 which are engageable with and cooperate with complementary upwardly converging faces 28 and 29, respectively, at the sides of the slot 13. As shown in FIG. 8, the bottom of channel-shape lower portion 1S has transversely oriented ribs Sti adapted to cooperate in meshing interlocking relation with the opposed, like oriented, sirnilar ribs 2d on the under surface of section 10. When the thumb-screw 24 is tightened, the side faces of the lug 22 engage and grip the side faces of the slot 13, as upper and lower portions 1'7 and 18 are drawn toward each other to clamp the interposed portion of section 1t) therebetween, section iti being of such thickness as to extend further from the base-piane of the ribs Sti or" portion 18 toward the head of thumb-screw 24 than either of the iianges of lower portion 18 or lug 22 and thus portion 11i precludes clamped engagement of the edges 181 in contact with the opposed web portion of upper portion 17, as shown in FIG. 5, so that tightening of thumb-screw 24 serves to lock the telescoping sections 1.6 and 12 in a selected position. A compression spring 31 extends between the right-hand end of the section 11i and an upwardly projecting tongue or flange 32 on the lower portion 1S of the telescoping section 12. The compression spring 31 urges the telescoping sections to extended position.

When the gauge is to be used, the gauge is compressed to the position shown in FIG. 3 and is held in this position by means of the thumb-screw 24. The gauge is then placed inside a shoe 33 (FlG. 4) to be gauged and the thumb-screw 24 is released to the dot-dash position of FiG. 4. Thereupon, the gauge extends automatically to the length of the shoe with the toe-end 34 and heel-end 35 respectively engaging the toe and the heel portions of the shoe, as shown in FiG. 4. The thumb-screw 24 is then tightened to hold the telescopic sections it? and 12 in extended position to define the length of the shoe 33 The position of the ball portion of the shoe can be noted with regard to indicia 36 (FIGS. 1 and 2) on the telescopic section 12. Then the heel riser 14 may be moved toward its erect position and grasped below handle-tab portion 141, to pull the gauge from the shoe with the gauge in the extended position shown in FlG. 2. HeelV riser 14 is swung counterclocliwise into the erect-limit position established by its engagement with portion 10 at 161, as shown in FIG. 2. In the erect position, heel riser 14 is adapted to engage the heel of a childs foot while the gauge is compared directly with that foot to determine the difference by which the length of the space inside the shoe exceeds the length of the childs foot, often called the toe-room. To measure the toe-room and the ball-of-the-foot-location in the shoe when the childs foot is supporting no weight, the foot may be rested lightly upon the upper surface of the gauge with the extremity of the back of the heel in contact with face 142 of the uprightly oriented, erectly positioned heel riser 14 (FG. 3), and comparison with the indicia 36 and 37 on portion 12 (FIG. l), may be conveniently made. The large thin head of thumb-screw 2li presents no discomfort problem when the gauge is so used. To measure the toe-room and the ball-of-the-foot-location in the shoe when the foot is supporting weight, with the child standing on the foot, the gauge is positioned with the concave heel riser face 142 resting against the rearward extremity of the heel and the portions and 12 extending along the side of the foot and great toe, and comparison with the extended indicia 36 and 37 on the edge of portion 12 (FIG. 2), may be conveniently made. The large thin head of thumb-screw Z4 nests near the arch of the foot and presents no discomfort problem when the gauge is so used. The indicia 15 indicates the size of the shoe in which the gauge has been mounted. The indicia 36 on the top and etxended on the edges of portion 12, can be compared with the ball of the childs foot to determine if the ball portion of the shoe is correctly located. In dicia 37 on the top and edges of telescopic member 12 indicate where the end of the gauge would come with regard to the childs foot if mounted in a shoe of a size reduced by the amount shown in the indicia.

The shoe gauge illustrated in the drawing and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, said telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, a compression spring inside the hollow of the first telescoping member and engaging an end portion of the second telescoping member to urge the telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, there being an elongated slot in the second telescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the first mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug having upwardly converging side faces engageable with the side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lugl and engageable with the first telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot to lock the telescoping members in extended position to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

2. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, said telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, a compression spring inside the hollow of the first telescoping member and engaging an end portion of the second telescoping member to urge the telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections and recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses and projections of the other, there being an elongated slot in the second telescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the first mentioned telescoping member and extending a predetermined distance into said slot, said l-ug having upwardly converging side faces engageable with the side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and 4 engageable with the rst telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot and secure the telescoping members in interlocked extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

3. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member adapted for limited enlargement and reduction of one of its cross-sectional dimensions, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, said telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, a compression spring inside the hollow of the first telescoping member and engaging an end portion of the second telescoping member to urge the telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, there being an elongated slot in the second elescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the first mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug tapering upwardly for cooperation with the converging side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and engageable with the first telescoping member and adapted to alter one cross-sectional dimension of said st telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot and clampingly lock the telescoping members in extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

4. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, said telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, means urging the telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, there being an elongated slot in the second elescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the first mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug having upwardly converging side faces enga geable with the side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and engageable with the first telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot to lock the telescoping members in extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

5. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, said telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, means urging the telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections and recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses and projections of the other, there being an elongated slot in the second telescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the first mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug having upwardly converging side faces engageable with the side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and engageable with the first telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot and secure the telescoping members in interlocked extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

6. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member adapted for limited enlargement and reduction of one of its cross-sectional dimensions, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, said telescoping members having interlockable opposed similar, like oriented ribs extending transversely of the direction of telescoping movement, said telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, means urging the telescoping members into an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, there being an elongated slot in the second telescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the first mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug lhaving an upwardly converging surface engageable with vthe side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and engageable with the first telescoping member to draw the surface of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot and to clamp said ribs in interlocking cooperation to lock the telescoping members in extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

7. A shoe gauge which comprises a pair of telescoping members relceivable inside a shoe, one of said telescoping members comprising a pair of elongate 'half-shells interlocked adjacent a first end and adapted to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, means urging the telescoping members toward extended relation to engage end portions of the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections and recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses and projections orf the other, and means for securing the telescoping members in interlocked and extended relation corresponding to the internal length of the shoe by drawing the halfdshells toward eachother adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said halfdshells, whereby tele- -scoping of the gauge incident to removal of the device from a shoe and comparison of the device with a foot is precluded.

8. A shoe gauge which comprises a pair of telescoping members receivable inside a shoe, one of said telescoping members comprising 'a pair of elongate half-'shells interlocked adjacent a first `end and adapted to Ireceive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, means urging the telescoping member-s toward extended relation to engage end portions of the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections and recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses land projections of the other, toe-room indicia upon one of said telescoping members and adjacent the end thereof remote from the other of said telescoping members, and means for securing the telescoping members in interlocked and extended relation corresponding to the internal length of the shoe by drawing the half-shells toward each other adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said half-shells, whereby telescoping ot the gauge incident to removal of the device from a shoe and incident to comparison of the device with a foot is precluded.

9. A shoe gauge which comprises a pair of telescoping members receivable inside a shoe, one of said telescoping members comprising Ia pair of elongate half-shells interlocked `adjacent a rst end Iand adapted to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, means urging the telescoping members toward extended relation to engage end .portions of the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections and recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses and projections of the other, ball-of-the-foot location indicia upon the telescoping member into which the other thereof is telescopable, and means for securing the telescoping members in interlocked and extended relation corresponding to the internal length of the shoe by drawing the half-shells toward each other adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said half-shells, whereby telescoping of the gauge incident to removal of the device from a shoe and comparison `of the device with a foot is precluded and the internal length of a shoe and the ball-of-.the-foot receiving portion of the shoe in rel-ation thereto may be compared to a human foot incident to fitting of a shoe to said foot.

l0. A shoe gauge which comprises a pair of telescoping members receivable ins-ide a shoe, one of said telescoping members comprising a pair of elongate half-shells interlocked adjacent a first end and adapted to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, means urging the telescoping members toward extended relation to engage end portions of the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections 'and recesses adapted ifor interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses and projections of the other, shoe 'size indicia uponone of said telescoping members, index means on the other of said telescoping members and adapted to cooperate 'with said shoe size indicia, and means for securing the telescoping members in interlocked and extended relation corresponding to the internal length of the shoe by ldrawing the half-shells toward each other adjacent the second end lof the telescoping member comprised of said half-shells, whereby telescoping of the gauge incident to removal of the device from a shoe and comparison of the device with a f-oot is precluded.

1l. A shoe gauge which compnises a pair of telescoping members receivable inside a shoe, one of said telescoping members comprising la pair of elongate half-shells interlocked adjacent a first end .and adapted to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, means urging the telescoping members toward extended relation to engage end portions of :the shoe, each of said telescoping members having a plurality of projections and recesses adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding recesses and projections of the other, a heel riser pivotally secured to one of said telescoping members Ifor swinging between a folded-limit position 'adjacent and parallel to said telescoping member and an erect-limit position substantially` perpendicular to and determined by cooperative abutment of said heel riser with said telescoping member, and means for securing the telescoping members in interlocked and extended relation corresponding to the internal length of the Ishoe by drawing the half-shells toward each other adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said halfshells, whereby telescoping of the gauge incident to removal of the device from a shoe and comparison of the device with a foot is precluded and whereby removal of the gauge -from a shoe and comparison of the gauge with a foot is facilitated.

12. A shoe gauge which comprises a pair of telescoping members receivable inside a shoe, one of said telescoping members comprising a pair of elongate half-shells interlocked adjacent a iirst end and adapted -to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end,

.eans for urging the telescoping members to an extended position to engage end portions of the shoe, and means for locking the telescoping members in extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe by drawing the halfshells toward each other adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said half-shells.

13. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member comprising a pair of elongate half-shells interlocked adjacent a first end and adapted to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the first telescoping member, sad telescoping members being receivable inside a shoe, a compression spring inside the hollow of the first telescoping member and engaging an end portion of the second telescoping member -to urge the telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe, there being an elongated slot in the second telescoping member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the iirst mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug having upwardly converging side faces engageable with the side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and engageable with the first telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot by drawing the half-shells toward each other adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said half-shells to lock the telescoping members in extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

14. A shoe gauge which comprises a hollow first telescoping member comprising a pair of elongate half-shells interlocked adjacent a first end and adapted to receive a portion of the other telescoping member through a second end, a second telescoping member having a portion received inside and slidable lengthwise of the rst telescoping member, said teleseoping members being receivable inside a shoe, means urging the -telescoping members to an extended position engaging end portions of the shoe,

there being an elongated slot in the second telescoping 10 member having upwardly converging side faces, a lug attached to the rst mentioned telescoping member and extending into said slot, said lug having upwardly converging side faces engageable with the side faces of the slot, and a thumb screw threaded in said lug and engageable with the first telescoping member to draw the side faces of the lug into engagement with the side faces of the slot by drawing the half-shells toward each other adjacent the second end of the telescoping member comprised of said half-shells to lock the telescoping members in extended relation to gauge the internal length of the shoe.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 888,070 Dissell May 19, 1908 1,040,214 Kranz Oct. 1, 1912 1,161,765 Dunbar Nov. 23, 1915 1,614,139 McGowen Jan. 11, 1927 2,673,360 Bascorn Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0E CORRECTION Patent Noo 3g 120,057 February 4, 1964 John S: Ludwig It is hereby certified that error appears n the above numbered patent requiring Correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column BY lines 68 and 69, strike out "adapted for interlocking engagement with corresponding reces.ses"

Signed and sealed this 16th day of June 1964o (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A SHOE GAUGE WHICH COMPRISES A HOLLOW FIRST TELESCOPING MEMBER, A SECOND TELESCOPING MEMBER HAVING A PORTION RECEIVED INSIDE AND SLIDABLE LENGTHWISE OF THE FIRST TELESCOPING MEMBER, SAID TELESCOPING MEMBERS BEING RECEIVABLE INSIDE A SHOE, A COMPRESSION SPRING INSIDE THE HOLLOW OF THE FIRST TELESCOPING MEMBER AND ENGAGING AN END PORTION OF THE SECOND TELESCOPING MEMBER TO URGE THE TELESCOPING MEMBERS TO AN EXTENDED POSITION ENGAGING END PORTIONS OF THE SHOE, THERE BEING AN ELONGATED SLOT IN THE SECOND TELESCOPING MEMBER HAVING UPWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE FACES, A LUG ATTACHED TO THE FIRST MENTIONED TELESCOPING MEMBER AND EXTENDING INTO SAID SLOT, SAID LUG HAVING UPWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE FACES ENGAGEABLE WITH THE SIDE FACES OF THE SLOT, AND A THUMB SCREW THREADED IN SAID LUG AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE FIRST TELESCOPING MEMBER TO DRAW THE SIDE FACES OF THE LUG INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE FACES OF THE SLOT TO LOCK THE TELESCOPING MEMBERS IN EXTENDED POSITION TO GAUGE THE INTERNAL LENGTH OF THE SHOE. 